The Ohio Libertarian
Party is launching a two-front war to improve ballot access for minor parties.
Between June 3 and June 6, a lawsuit will be filed in federal court, to be
called Libertarian Party of Ohio v Brunner. Also, the party has found
three friendly state legislators who have arranged for the Legislative Counsel
to draft a bill, easing the stateís law. They are Representatives Jon Peterson
(R), Thomas Brinkman (R), and Dan Stewart (D).

The lawsuit will build
on the partyís winning 2006 lawsuit, which struck down the existing law. The
existing law requires a petition of 1% of the last vote cast, due almost a
year before the election. That amounts to 40,228 signatures. The lawsuit will
allege that since the old law is void, and no new law has been passed to replace
it, and since the Ohio Libertarian Party has shown a modicum of support, therefore
it should be placed on the ballot this year.

The party already submitted
6,500 signatures on a party petition the day before the March 2008 primary,
along with declarations of candidacy for its nominees for Congress and state
legislature and presidential elector. No other group even tried to qualify
as a party.

The Secretary of State
refused the partyís request. She had promulgated an emergency rule that said
a party needs 20,114 signatures by late November 2007. But the partyís attorneys
have found a 1930 Ohio Attorney that says state executive officials are not
permitted to "make up" election restrictions. Furthermore, the 6th
circuit ruled in 1984 that when a stateís ballot access law is unconstitutional,
and the legislature has not rewritten it, states must permit any candidate
or any group with a modicum of support to get on the ballot. Ohio is in the
6th Circuit.

The proposed bill has
already been drafted by Legislative Counsel. It reduces the party petition
to one-fourth of 1% of the last gubernatorial election year vote (10,057 signatures).
It deletes wording on the party petition that implies that the signers are
party members. It eases the deadline from 120 days before the primary, to
75 days. And it eases the vote test for a party to remain on, from 5% for
president or Governor, to 1% at either of the last two elections for any statewide
office.

Interplay
Between Lawsuit and Bill

If the lawsuit wins,
it is virtually certain that the proposed bill, or some other good bill, will
pass. That is because if the lawsuit wins, the state wonít be able to keep
any group off the ballot as a party if it can show a modicum of support. Under
the U.S. Supreme Court precedent McCarthy v Briscoe, that can include
evidence from outside that particular state.

So far this year, not
a single bill has passed in any state that eases ballot access for minor parties
or independent candidates. The Coalition for Free & Open Elections (COFOE)
and Ballot Access News were both founded in 1985. Starting in 1985,
every year has always seen at least one ballot access improvement passed into
law in at least one state. Perhaps this good tradition can keep going, thanks
to Ohio. Here is a list of at least one state in which some improvement was
made by a legislature: 1985 Idaho, 1986 Georgia, 1987 Nevada, 1988 Michigan,
1989 Oregon, 1990 Florida, 1991 Wyoming, 1992 New York, 1993 Missouri, 1994
Connecticut, 1995 Colorado, 1996 New Hampshire, 1997 Alaska, 1998 Colorado,
1999 Hawaii, 2000 Arizona, 2001 Virginia, 2002 Michigan, 2003 Virginia, 2004
Louisiana, 2005 North Dakota, 2006 North Carolina, 2007 Colorado.

NORTH
CAROLINA LOSS

On May 27, Judge Robert
Hobgood signed a 17-page opinion, upholding North Carolinaís ballot access
laws for minor parties. That law requires a petition signed by 2% of the last
gubernatorial vote, 69,734 signatures. North Carolina requires more signatures
than any other state for this purpose, except for California.

Judge Hobgood did not
write the opinion. The attorneys for both sides had written sample opinions,
and the Judge chose the stateís version. The case is Libertarian Party
of N.C. v State Board of Elections, Wake Superior Court, 05-cvs-13073.
The decision did not even mention many of the issues in the case, such as
whether there is any state interest in forcing members of parties that go
off the ballot to become independent voters. Nor did the decision mention
much of the evidence. The Libertarian and Green Parties will appeal.

No state court, except
for the highest state court in that state, has ever struck down the number
of signatures needed for a new or minor party, or for an independent candidate.
The only time such cases have won was after that case got to the highest state
court. The winning instances are New York in 1912, Michigan in 1982, Alaska
in 1982, and Maryland in 2003.

MISSISSIPPI
DEMOCRATS LOSE

On May 28, the 5th
circuit reversed the U.S. District Court in the Mississippi Democratic Partyís
lawsuit to exclude non-members from its primary. Mississippi State Democratic
Party v Barbour, 07-60667. The Court said the party should have revised
its Bylaws to implement how it would close its primaries, before filing the
lawsuit.

LEGISLATIVE
NEWS

National Popular Vote
Bills: the Hawaii bill, SB 2898, became law on May 1, when the legislature
overrode Governor Linda Lingleís veto. The Vermont bill, SB 270, failed to
become law because Governor Jim Douglas vetoed it on May 16. The Rhode Island
Senate passed S2112 on May 27 by a vote of 27-10.

Ballot Access Bills:
both the helpful Missouri bill, and the harmful bill, failed to pass before
the legislature adjourned. SB 797 would have passed if only the legislature
were not required to adjourn promptly at 6 p.m. on the last day. The bill
was being considered for final passage when the clock tolled. The bill would
have let a petition for a new party circulate before the group had chosen
its presidential candidate.

Missouri HB 1310, which
would have moved the independent deadline from July to March, failed.

Some Missouri bills that
would have made it more difficult to qualify an initiative also failed to
pass.

The Illinois bill which
would have made it more difficult for a ballot-qualified party to nominate
by party meeting, HB 5263, failed to pass. The Alabama bill which would have
eased ballot access, HB 738, failed to reach the House floor before the legislature
adjourned.

Presidential Primary
Bill: the Kansas bill to provide for a presidential primary in 2012, HB
2019, was vetoed by Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Kansas is one of 10 states
with no presidential primary this year. The bill would have set a date so
early (the first Saturday in February) that it would have violated national
party rules. The first Saturday in February in 2012 is February 2, and the
first "legal" date in 2012 (except for 4 states that get favorable
treatment) is February 5.

Instant-Runoff Voting
Bill: Colorado HB 1378 is on the Governorís desk. He has until June 21
to either sign or veto it. It would let any city, or any special district,
use IRV to elect its own officers.

LAWSUIT
NEWS

Alabama: on May
27, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Riley v Kennedy, 07-77,
interpreting Sec. Five of the federal Voting Rights Act. The Court said that
the Governor of Alabama has a right to appoint a county commissioner in cases
of vacancy, since the Alabama Constitution provides for that. The lower court
had said there should be a special election. The decision is highly technical
and has no broader implications. The controversy was how to interpret the
Act when there have been multiple changes to a state law, back and forth,
since the Voting Rights Act was enacted in 1965.

Florida: on May
28, a U.S. District Court in the Middle District (Tampa) again ruled that
if the Democratic National Committee wants to deprive Florida of any delegates
to the national convention, it may do so. DiMaio v Democratic National
Committee, 8:08-cv-672. The same plaintiffís first case had been dismissed
on standing grounds; this was his second attempt.

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
had lost a similar lawsuit in the Northern District late last year. A similar
lawsuit is pending in the Southern District (Miami). It is Geller v Dem.
Nat. Comm., 08-cv-60774, and was filed on May 22.

Hawaii: on May
1, U.S. District Court judge Alan Kay, a Reagan appointee, upheld the stateís
petition checking procedures. Nader v Cronin, 04-611. The same judge
had earlier upheld the other point in the same lawsuit, whether it is constitutional
for a state to require six times as many signatures for an independent presidential
candidate as for a new party. It is not known if Nader will appeal. He is
already safely on the ballot in Hawaii for 2008.

Michigan: the
State Court of Appeals will hear Ebbers v Secretary of State, no.283782,on June 11. It challenges a law that requires circulators
of a recall petition to live in the district of the office-holder who is being
recalled. The lower court had upheld the law.

Oklahoma: the
10th circuit will hear Yes on Term Limits v Savage during
the week of September 22-28. This is the case challenging Oklahomaís ban on
out-of-state initiative circulators. The lower court had upheld the law.

Federal: on May
27, U.S. District Judge Ricardo Urbina, a Clinton appointee in Washington,
D.C., ruled against most of Ralph Naderís damages lawsuit against the Democratic
Party and its allies, for their efforts to forcibly prevent some voters from
voting for Nader in 2004. Still pending are Naderís points concerning section
1983, the civil rights claims. Nader v Democratic Nat. Comm., 07-2136.

TENNESSEE
REVISES INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL RULES

The Tennessee Elections
Coordinator, Brook Thompson, recently revised the procedures for independent
presidential candidate petitions. The law says any independent candidate (for
any office) needs 25 signatures. The new regulation says that an independent
presidential candidate needs 275 signatures on a petition that must list eleven
candidates for presidential elector.

The old procedure had
required 25 voters to each sign eleven petitions, one for each elector. Although
the old procedure seems easier in one sense, the paperwork will be simpler
with just a single petition that must only be signed once by each voter.

NORTHERN
MARIANA ISLANDS GETS A DELEGATE

On May 8, President Bush
signed S. 2739 into law. It provides that the Northern Mariana Islands may
elect a Delegate to the U.S. House. The Northern Mariana Islands had already
been electing one, but he had no authority and had received no federal salary.
A strong independent candidate has announced. He is Gregorio Sablan, now the
Executive Director of the NMI Elections Commission.

LIBERTARIAN
PARTY CONVENTION

On May 25, the Libertarian
Party national convention chose former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr for president.
Barr served in Congress for 8 years, longer than either Hillary Clinton or
Barack Obama has served so far.

For those who are nostalgic
for old-fashioned U.S. presidential conventions, the Libertarian event was
a treat. Six ballots were held to determine a presidential nominee. No major
party has had to hold six ballots to determine a presidential nominee since
1940, when the Republican convention also took six ballots to nominate Wendell
Willkie. Barr and Mary Ruwart were separated by only one vote on the first
ballot, and were tied on the third and fourth ballots. Barr actually lost
votes between the second and third ballots, whereas Ruwart gained on every
ballot.

The vote for each candidate
who was nominated is shown below. The "Other" vote, not shown on
the charts, included thirteen for the First Ballot, six on the Second, one
on the Third, six on the Fifth, and 26 on the Sixth.

The rules were that after
each ballot, any candidate who polled less than 5% was eliminated. Furthermore,
whoever placed last was also eliminated. The turning point in the presidential
selection was after the Fifth ballot, when Wayne Allyn Root, who had just
been eliminated, took the podium and asked his supporters to help him be the
vice-presidential candidate with Barr. This was an obvious but indirect appeal
to his supporters to vote for Barr for president on the Sixth ballot.

"Ruw" is Mary
Ruwart; "Grav" is Mike Gravel; "Phil" is George Phillies;
"Kub" is Steve Kubby; "Jing" is Mike Jingozian.
See page six for "other" vote.

`

1st BALLOT

2nd BALLOT

STATE

BARR

RUW

ROOT

GRAV

PHIL

KUB

JING

SMITH

BARR

RUW

ROOT

GRAV

PHIL

KUB

Ala

7

2

0

1

0

1

0

0

7

2

0

1

0

1

Alas

1

1

2

0

0

1

0

0

1

1

2

0

0

0

Ariz

2

8

1

2

1

3

0

0

2

8

1

2

0

4

Ark

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

Cal

17

20

38

9

10

6

0

0

21

20

41

9

5

3

Colo

2

4

9

2

2

2

2

1

2

6

11

2

2

4

Ct

0

1

0

2

0

2

0

0

1

1

1

2

0

0

Del

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

DC

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

Fla

9

5

1

2

2

0

0

0

12

4

1

1

1

0

Ga

33

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

33

2

0

0

0

0

Hi

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

Id

1

1

1

1

0

2

1

0

1

0

3

1

0

2

Ill

3

10

1

1

1

2

2

0

3

10

5

1

1

2

Ind

4

2

6

5

3

0

2

0

6

2

6

7

2

0

Iowa

0

1

2

1

3

0

0

0

0

1

2

1

3

0

Kan

4

2

3

0

0

0

1

0

4

2

4

0

0

0

Ky

0

1

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

3

0

0

0

La

2

1

3

1

0

0

0

1

2

1

2

3

0

0

Me

1

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

2

0

0

1

0

Md

2

2

0

0

5

1

0

0

2

4

0

2

2

0

Mass

0

0

0

0

6

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

6

0

Mich

4

12

5

3

0

1

1

0

5

13

6

2

0

0

Minn

2

1

2

0

1

0

0

1

2

2

1

1

1

0

Miss

1

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

3

0

0

0

0

Mo

5

4

4

1

0

3

2

0

8

3

6

1

0

1

Mt

0

1

0

0

2

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

2

Neb

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

0

0

0

0

Nev

0

1

0

6

0

1

0

1

0

2

0

6

0

1

NH

1

3

0

1

3

0

0

0

1

3

1

1

3

0

NJ

0

3

11

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

11

0

0

0

NM

0

3

1

1

0

2

0

1

0

3

3

1

1

1

NY

4

5

6

4

0

1

1

0

4

6

5

4

0

2

NoC

2

5

0

1

0

0

0

0

2

5

0

1

0

0

Ohio

0

3

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

7

0

0

0

Ok

3

1

0

0

0

3

0

0

3

1

2

1

0

0

Ore

1

1

1

3

0

0

9

1

6

2

1

5

1

0

Pa

6

2

0

7

0

1

1

0

10

3

0

7

1

5

RI

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

SoC

8

0

1

3

0

0

0

0

8

0

1

3

0

0

SoD

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

Tn

3

8

1

0

1

1

0

0

3

9

1

0

0

0

Tex

8

14

6

4

1

2

0

0

13

14

5

2

0

1

Ut

2

2

0

1

0

1

0

0

3

2

0

0

0

1

Vt

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

Va

10

3

1

1

0

0

1

0

10

3

1

2

0

0

Wa

1

3

3

4

2

1

0

0

4

4

1

3

2

0

WV

0

2

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

1

Wi

0

4

0

2

0

0

0

0

1

5

0

0

0

0

Wy

1

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

1

0

0

TOT

153

152

123

71

49

41

23

6

188

162

138

73

36

32

`

3rd
BALLOT

4th
BALLOT

5th
BALLOT

6th
BALLOT

STATE

BARR

RUW

ROOT

GRAV

PHIL

BARR

RUW

ROOT

GRAV

BARR

RUW

ROOT

BARR

RUW

Ala

7

3

0

1

0

7

3

0

1

7

3

0

7

4

Alas

1

1

2

0

0

1

1

2

0

1

1

2

3

1

Ariz

3

12

0

2

0

3

12

1

1

4

12

1

5

12

Ark

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

Cal

21

22

41

8

4

21

29

42

5

23

31

41

58

37

Colo

3

6

15

2

1

4

7

14

2

3

7

17

3

18

Ct

1

1

1

2

0

0

0

0

5

0

0

5

1

1

Del

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

1

0

DC

3

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

3

0

0

3

0

Fla

11

4

1

1

1

10

8

0

1

11

7

1

11

8

Ga

33

2

0

0

0

33

2

0

0

33

2

0

33

2

Hi

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

Id

1

2

3

1

0

1

2

3

1

2

1

3

2

3

Ill

5

12

2

1

1

5

12

3

2

6

12

4

9

13

Ind

5

2

6

7

2

6

2

6

8

6

6

9

10

12

Iowa

0

1

2

1

3

2

1

2

2

4

1

2

5

2

Kan

4

2

4

0

0

5

2

3

0

5

2

3

7

3

Ky

0

1

3

0

0

0

1

3

0

0

1

3

3

1

La

2

1

3

3

0

2

1

3

3

2

1

4

5

1

Me

1

2

1

0

0

1

2

1

0

1

2

1

2

2

Md

2

5

0

3

0

2

4

0

4

4

5

1

5

5

Mass

0

0

0

0

6

0

4

1

0

0

4

1

0

6

Mich

4

13

6

2

0

5

12

6

2

5

14

6

8

16

Minn

2

2

2

0

1

3

2

1

1

5

2

0

4

3

Miss

1

3

0

0

0

2

2

0

0

2

2

0

2

2

Mo

7

4

7

1

0

9

5

4

1

10

3

6

14

5

Mt

0

2

1

0

1

0

2

2

0

0

3

1

1

3

Neb

1

2

0

0

0

1

2

0

0

0

2

0

0

2

Nev

0

3

0

6

0

0

3

0

6

0

9

0

0

9

NH

2

2

0

2

3

2

3

2

2

2

5

2

3

5

NJ

0

3

11

0

0

0

3

11

0

0

3

11

11

3

NM

0

4

3

1

1

0

3

4

1

1

3

5

3

3

NY

4

7

5

5

0

4

8

6

3

5

8

7

11

9

NoC

2

5

0

1

0

2

5

0

1

2

6

0

2

6

Ohio

0

3

7

0

0

0

3

7

0

0

3

7

5

4

Ok

4

1

2

0

0

4

1

2

0

6

1

0

6

1

Ore

5

2

1

5

2

6

2

1

7

7

8

1

7

8

Pa

10

5

2

8

1

12

5

3

6

12

6

4

15

8

RI

0

0

0

0

2

2

0

0

0

2

0

0

2

0

SoC

8

0

1

4

0

9

0

1

3

11

0

2

12

0

SoD

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

3

3

0

Tn

2

10

2

0

0

3

10

1

0

3

10

1

4

10

Tex

10

16

6

4

0

11

16

6

3

14

17

5

14

22

Ut

4

3

0

0

0

3

3

1

0

3

3

1

4

3

Vt

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

Va

10

3

1

2

0

11

3

1

1

11

3

2

12

3

Wa

4

4

1

3

2

4

6

1

3

4

9

1

5

9

WV

0

2

0

1

0

0

2

0

1

0

3

0

0

3

Wi

1

5

0

0

0

1

5

0

0

1

5

0

1

5

Wy

2

0

0

1

0

2

0

1

0

2

0

1

2

0

TOT

186

186

146

78

31

202

202

149

76

223

229

165

324

276

2008
PETITIONING FOR PRESIDENT

STATE

REQUIREMENTS

SIGNATURES
COLLECTED

DEADLINES

FULL
PARTY

CAND

LIB'T

GREEN

CONSTI

NADER

Party

Indp.

Alabama

37,513

5,000

0

0

0

0

June
3

Sep.
8

Alaska

(reg)
7,124

#3,128

already
on

*3,050

already
on

0

Aug.
6

Aug.
6

Ariz.

20,449

#21,759

already
on

already
on

0

*30,000

Mar.
6

June
4

Arkansas

10,000

#1,000

already
on

already
on

already
on

0

June
30

Aug.
4

Calif.

(reg)
88,991

158,372

already
on

already
on

already
on

*seek
nom

Dec.
31, 07

Aug.
8

Colorado

(reg)
1,000

pay
$500

already
on

already
on

already
on

0

June
1

June
17

Conn.

no
procedure

#7,500

100

*2,000

*150

0

-
- -

Aug.
6

Delaware

(reg)
*284

*5,674

already
on

already
on

already
on

*seek
nom

Aug.
12

July
15

D.C.

no
procedure

est.
#3,900

canít
start

already
on

canít
start

canít
start

-
- -

Aug.
19

Florida

be
organized

104,334

already
on

already
on

already
on

*seek
nom

Sep.
2

July
15

Georgia

44,089

#42,489

already
on

3,000

0

0

July
8

July
8

Hawaii

663

4,291

already
on

already
on

already
on

already
on

Apr.
3

Sep.
5

Idaho

11,968

5,984

already
on

0

already
on

0

Aug.
29

Aug.
25

Illinois

no
procedure

#25,000

*25,000

already
on

500

*25,000

-
- -

June
23

Indiana

no
procedure

#32,742

already
on

0

0

0

-
- -

June
30

Iowa

no
procedure

#1,500

0

0

*100

0

-
- -

Aug.
15

Kansas

16,994

5,000

already
on

0

0

0

June
2

Aug.
4

Kentucky

no
procedure

#5,000

0

0

*500

0

-
- -

Sep.
2

La.

(reg)
1,000

pay
$500

already
on

already
on

47

0

May
22

Sep.
2

Maine

27,544

#4,000

0

already
on

0

0

Dec
14, 07

Ag 15

Maryland

10,000

est.
32,500

already
on

already
on

0

0

Aug.
4

Aug.
4

Mass.

est.
(reg) 40,500

#10,000

*5,000

already
on

0

0

Feb.
1

July
29

Michigan

38,024

38,024

already
on

already
on

already
on

*seek
nom

July
17

July
17

Minnesota

110,150

#2,000

0

0

0

0

July
15

Sep.
9

Mississippi

be
organized

1,000

already
on

already
on

already
on

0

Jan.
10

Sep.
5

Missouri

10,000

10,000

already
on

0

finished

0

July
28

July
28

Montana

5,000

#5,000

already
on

*0

already
on

0

Mar.
13

July
30

Nebraska

5,921

2,500

finished

already
on

already
on

0

Aug.
1

Aug.
26

Nevada

5,746

5,746

already
on

already
on

already
on

0

July
3

July
3

N. Hamp.

12,524

#3,000

*finished

0

0

0

Aug.
6

Aug.
6

New Jersey

no
procedure

#800

*50

0

*300

0

-
- -

July
28

New Mex.

2,794

16,764

already
on

already
on

*already
on

already
on

Apr.
1

June
4

New York

no
procedure

#15,000

can't
start

can't
start

can't
start

*seek
nom

-
- -

Aug.
19

No. Car.

69,734

69,734

*already
on

in
court

0

0

May
16

June
12

No. Dakota

7,000

#4,000

already
on

0

already
on

0

Apr.
11

Sep.
5

Ohio

20,114

5,000

disputed

*400

finished

0

Aug
21

Aug.
21

Oklahoma

46,324

43,913

0

0

0

0

May
1

July
15

Oregon

20,640

18,356

already
on

already
on

already
on

*seek
nom

Aug.
26

Aug.
26

Penn.

no
procedure

#24,666

*20,000

*3,000

*350

*2,000

-
- -

Aug.
1

Rhode Isl.

18,557

#1,000

0

0

0

0

May
30

Sep.
5

So. Caro.

10,000

10,000

already
on

already
on

already
on

*seek
nom

May
4

July
15

So. Dakota

8,389

3,356

*0

0

already
on

0

Mar.
25

Aug.
5

Tennessee

45,254

*275

in
court

in
court

in
court

0

unsettled

Aug.
21

Texas

43,991

74,108

already
on

*too
late

*too
late

*too
late

May
26

May
12

Utah

2,000

#1,000

already
on

0

already
on

0

Feb.
15

Sep.
2

Vermont

be
organized

#1,000

already
on

0

already
on

0

Jan.
1

Sep.
12

Virginia

no
procedure

#10,000

*10,000

*5,200

0

*500

-
- -

Aug.
22

Wash.

no
procedure

#1,000

canít
start

canít
start

canít
start

canít
start

-
- -

July
26

West Va.

no
procedure

#15,118

0

already
on

*11,500

0

-
- -

Aug.
1

Wisconsin

10,000

#2,000

already
on

already
on

0

0

June
2

Sep.
2

Wyoming

3,868

3,868

already
on

0

*0

*3,000

June
2

Aug.
25

TOTAL
STATES ON

*29

22

*20

2

~

~

#partisan label is OK
(other than "independent").
*entry changed since May 1, 2008 B.A.N."Nader" column refers mostly to independent petitions.
"Seek nom" means Nader is seeking the nomination of a ballot-qualified
party in that state.

PARTY
FOR SOCIALISM & LIBERATION

The Party for Socialism
and Liberation isnít on the petitioning chart above, due to space problems.
It is now on for president in Florida and Arkansas, and is finished in Vermont,
and has 1,000 signatures in Iowa, 900 in New Jersey, and 700 in Mississippi.

MINNESOTA
US SENATE RACE

Jesse Ventura says he
will decide by July whether to enter the Independence Party of Minnesota primary,
as a candidate for U.S. Senate. If he doesnít run, Dean Barkley will.

WORKING
FAMILIES PARTY

The South Carolina Working
Families Party, which has been ballot-qualified since 2006, held a convention
on May 10. It nominated a U.S. Senate candidate, Michael Cone. He is also
seeking the Democratic nomination at the June primary. The South Carolina
Working Families Party is the third state unit of that party to have run statewide
candidates. The others are New York and Massachusetts.

Anthony Pollina, state
chair of the Vermont Progressive Party, announced on May 29 that he is still
running for Governor. There had been speculation that he might drop out, because
the Democrats recently recruited a gubernatorial candidate, Gaye Symington,
the Speaker of the Vermont House.

SUBSCRIBING
TO BAN WITH PAYPAL

If you use Paypal, you
can subscribe to B.A.N., or renew, with Paypal. If you use a credit
card in connection with Paypal, use richardwinger@yahoo.com.
If you donít use a credit card in conjunction with Paypal, use sub@richardwinger.com.